Self-locking cable clamps or ties comprising a head having a ratchet contained in a slotted case on one end and a tail at the other end suited to be inserted into the head to form a loop are already known.
These self-locking ties are mainly used to fasten cables or pipes.
The head of a self-locking cable tie has a substantially prismatic shape, preferably cylindrical or parallelepiped, an axial opening large enough to allow the tail of the tie to be inserted, and a pawl or a flexible tooth inside said axial opening.
The tail of known self-locking ties is substantially composed of a linear U-shaped section having one end connected to the head and a saw-tooth gear rack within the U-shaped section.
The tail of known self-locking ties is composed of a substantially flat strap having two raised edges and a saw-tooth gear rack between the previously mentioned raised edges.
The coupling of the head and tail occurs when the tail is inserted into the head and the flexible pawl on the head engages the backside of the saw teeth on the tail.
The direction of insertion of the tail in the opening of the head requires that the side with the sawtooth gear rack face the inside of the loop formed by the tail inserted into the head of the tie.
The materials commonly used to make self-locking cable ties are polyamide, plastic materials, or in any case materials with a certain flexibility.
Even the use of relatively flexible materials limits the bending of the tail of the ties in question, which cannot be used on items with very small diameters, such as the necks of bags or thin cables.
Patent EP2195251 describes a highly flexible tie since it has no raised edges or side ribs.
The absence of ribs, or side edges, facilitates the bending of the tail but it has been found that the tail itself, as a consequence of having no guides, can move and be unstable when inserted in the head.
The tie with no ribs or raised edges, which serve as guides, can therefore move or be opened.
Essentially, high flexibility ties have a tail made up of a base strap having a saw-tooth gear rack projecting from one side of the strap itself
These high flexibility straps allow even narrow items to be tightened and fastened but have the disadvantage that the tail inserted in the opening of the head is not stable, may rotate or move laterally, and the locking pawl or tooth does not exert adequate pressure on the saw-tooth gear rack.
These possible movements and insufficient pressure exerted by the locking tooth do not adequately prevent the tail from slipping back through the opening of the head.